Olizarowicz takes over PM West baseball program

The 1991 Pocono Mountain graduate played shortstop at Slippery Rock University and has been a teacher in the Pocono Mountain School District the last 16 years.

Olizarowicz, a physical education teacher at the PM West junior high where he will continue to be the school's boys soccer coach, said he wants to get the team thinking about baseball year round.

"We have 10-to-12 practices planned for summer to see who we got and who wants to commit themselves," Olizarowicz said. "That's the big question."

The new coach, who will take over for Greg Vogel who retired at the end of the school year after leading the program since it opened 11 years ago, encourages kids to play as many sports as they like. But if they're not on an athletic field, he wants them on the baseball diamond.

"We need more commitment from the coaching staff and the players for 12 months of the year," Olizarowicz said. "The teams beating us have programs that carry through summer, fall and winter. It's not a secret. We have enough nucleus and talented kids coming up to make a successful team.

"To fill in the blank spots there needs to be a commitment through the year. Everyone else is doing it and we need to get on board."

If it's any indication, Olizarowicz has learned from legendary Pocono Mountain coaches — Bill Carter (baseball), Tom Rowan (soccer) and Brad Pensyl (basketball) — while a high school athlete.

After his playing days at Slippery Rock, Olizarowicz came back to teach physical education at Clear Run Intermediate for 15 years. Last year he taught at the West junior high where he has coached boys soccer the last four years.

Olizarowicz is married to his wife, Kim, and the couple have three kids ages 10, 8 and 5.